July is here, and with it comes the first crack at NBA Summer League action for two former Huskies.
Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. are both set to get their starts in the California Classic, which runs from July 3-6, before the main Summer League tips off in Las Vegas from July 9-19. Karaban is with the Sacramento Kings, while Reed is with the San Antonio Spurs. The California Classic field also includes the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat.
For both rookies, this holiday weekend marks the first chance to show their new teams what they can do on an NBA floor.
Sacramento’s schedule opens Saturday, July 4 against the Brooklyn Nets at 5:00 PM ET, followed by a Sunday, July 5 matchup with the Golden State Warriors Blue at 5:00 PM ET. The Kings wrap up on Monday, July 6 against the Milwaukee Bucks at 10:00 PM ET.
San Antonio gets going Friday, July 3 against the Miami Heat at 8:00 PM ET, then returns Monday, July 6 to face the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:30 PM ET.
Both players have also had time to look back on the path that got them here, from high school to college and now to the pros.
In Sacramento, GM Scott Perry pointed to basketball IQ as a major separator for Karaban. He also praised Karaban’s elite shooting, his ability to connect with teammates, and his winning mentality. Perry said he watched a UConn practice and described the program by saying anyone coming out of it is “battle-tested.”
That reputation fits the Kings’ situation as well. Karaban arrives with the kind of winning DNA Sacramento is looking for. The Kings last won the NBA title in 1951, when they were the Rochester Royals, and have made the playoffs only twice since 2006.
Karaban said Dan Hurley played a major role in his development and added that he plans to bring the same mentality to the Kings.
He’ll wear No. 33, a choice he made after fellow Massachusetts legend Larry Bird. No. 11 is retired, and No. 33 was most recently worn by Jake LaRavia for the Kings in 2025.
Reed, meanwhile, was introduced in San Antonio just a few days after the draft and quickly got to work.
“The first thing I noticed is the game is a lot faster than college. We played a little bit slow at UConn, but here it is just fast-paced, fast-tempo.” He described the game as one where you have to stay locked in defensively and avoid getting caught for a defensive three-second violation.
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